Improvement in toe-weights for horses  feet



.S. GRIFFIN.

TOE-WEIGHT FOR HORSES FEET.

Patented March 21,1876.

Wineses ILFETERS. PHOTD-LITNOGRAPNER, WAEIlINGTON. D C

UNITED STATES PATENT orrroa SETH GRIFFIN, OFELYRIA, 'oHIo.

IMPROVEMENT IN TOE-WEIGHTS FOR HORSES FEET.

v Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 174,906, dated March 21, 1876; application filed January 22, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SETH GRIFFIN, of Elyria, in the county of Lorain and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horse-Feet \Veigbts; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and complete description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side view of a horses'hoof, showing the weight attached thereto on one side. Fig. 2 is a view of the hoof, showing the weight secured to the toe. vertical section of the weight and shoe. 4 is a front view of the weight.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several views presented.

The purpose of this invention is to lengthen the step or stride of a horse, causing the animal to move with greater steadiness and case; also to correct the fault of the overreaching of the hind feet and the interfering of the fore feet.

The construction and application to the Fig.

horses feet of the above invention are as follows: Many horses possessing excellent qualities, rendering them valuable and desirable,

are nevertheless defective in their step or carriage, it being short and quick, giving them an ungraceful and unsteady movement, which greatly detracts from their merits and lessens their value as roadsters.

To correct this particular fault, and cause the horse to take longer steps or strides, is one purpose of this invention, and which is accomplished by the weights A. Said weight consists of a metallic button, the weight of amination of the drawings, in which it will be seen that the lug is inserted between the shoe D and the hoof, in a gain cut in the boot, and which is retained therein by the screw 0, as will be seen in Fig. 3. In said figure the weight is represented as being .secured to the toe of Fig. 3 is a detached I the front foot. This location of the weight is to cause the horseto lengthen his step or stride, the weight having a tendency to carry' the foot farther forward than in the habitual stride of the horse, thereby causing the animal to move with more grace and steadiness, and which he will do without the weights after having worn them for a while. The length of time necessary to wear the weight varies according to the degree of the fault, or to the tract-ability of the animal and his capacity to learn. This lengthening of the stride carries the-front feet so far; forward that the hind ones cannot reach them so as to interfere; hence that bad habit of over-reaching peculiar to some horses is cured by their learning to take longer steps. Theteure completed, the weights may be taken off, which can be done without removing the shoe by simply withdrawing the screw 0.

Some horses interfere, with their feet striking their ankles oi knees, sometimes making serious wounds. To correct this fault the weights are to be worn on the outer sides of the feet, as shown in Fig. 1, the efl'ect of which is to carry the feet outward or spread them apart, which avoids interference and cutting the quarters in passing the forward feet, and eventually cures the habit, so that the animal may leave off the weights, seldom requiring to wear them again when once broken of the.

adding to the weight on the animals feet, which tires him, and sometimes producessores and lameness. This, it will be obvious, cannot take place when the weights are secured to the foot in the manner as above described, and from their being low down upon the hoof much lighter weights can be used, and which can The straps also enbe easily put on or taken ofl' without injury to the feet or producing weariness, sores, or lameness.

In the event it becomes necessary to increase the weight of the buttons, this can be done by placing on the inside of the button a. plate of sheet-lead, a, Fig. 3, thereby saving the expense of a new and heavier-one for that purpose.

The lip 0 brings a. part of the button to bear upon the edge of the shoe,.thereby relieving the hoof from a, part of the pressure of the weight or button. 5

SETH GRIFFIN.

Witnesses:

W. H. BURRIDGE, E. W. ORoss. 

